What Hinders You?

I know I had a post with a similar title a few weeks ago! That one was about decorating. This one is about cleaning.

What is it that hinders you from keeping your house clean? That's the question I faced as I studied the first day in the Spring Clean Challenge at A Virtuous Woman. Melissa listed several things that hinder people from cleaning, and I had to admit that "all of the above" was my answer. This morning I sat down and found Scriptural thoughts to combat each of these reasons, and I wanted to share them here.

1. I don't know how to organize.

If you don't know how to organize your home - learn! James 1:5 says, "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him." Ask God to help you learn to clean and organize, and He will lead you to books and/or people that can help you. I still remember my amazement when I found FlyLady! I know, to this day, that she was a direct answer to my prayer for some way to begin keeping my home better. Ask for wisdom, then put some feet on that prayer and start looking for the information you need.

2. I have too much stuff.

Get rid of some of your stuff! Jesus warned against covetousness, the desire to have more stuff: "And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth." Luke 12:15 Go through your home and clear it of all those things you don't use or wear on a regular basis. You don't have to throw these things away; give them away or sell them on Craigslist or Ebay. Learn to let go of the material things of this life. They won't matter in eternity, and they are far less important than the people we love - and I want to make my home a place for my loved ones, not all my stuff.

3. I would rather be doing something else.

Wouldn't we all! Ecclesiastes 3:1 - "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:" There is a time to do everything you need to do, and there is even a time to do those things you want to do. The really great thing is that, when you do the things you need to do, you can do the things you want to do without guilt! Learn to have a time for everything. Quit whining about not wanting to do what you should, and just do it.

4. I spend too much time on the computer or reading.

Again, there is time for each of those things, but we need to spend our time wisely. There's nothing wrong with being online or reading, as long as it's a wise use of our time. Two places in the New Testament we're told to redeem the time. Ephesians 5:16 - "Redeeming the time, because the days are evil." And again in Colossians 4:5 - "Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time." I did a little word study on these verses, focusing on redeem and time. In those two verses, time is speaking of a set or proper time - as in having a time for everything, as mentioned above. To redeem something is to buy it back or rescue it from loss. So use every minute so as not to waste it. Have some time be online, and make sure that time is profitable. Read, but make it profitable. Again, a time for everything!

As I've written these things, my heart has been saying, "What right do you have to say these things? You are guilty of all of these." That's right. All of these are things I regularly think and do. So this post was written to myself first. I have been praying much over the past few days and asking God to show me how to honor Him most, and these are the responses He is giving me. I hope they're a help to you! God's Word is relevant today, for our lives in 2009!